Johnson & Wales University Department of Baking & Pastry Arts Works with OHAUS to Develop Foodservice Scale
Traditionally, it has been common for pastry kitchens to use a
bakers scale, however many in the industry have recently been
looking to switch to digital scales. Johnson & Wales
University's Department of Baking & Pastry Arts was no
different. Dependant for many years on standard baking scales,
Department Head Gary Welling worked collaboratively with OHAUS to
develop a special FD Food Scale for their labs and standardize how
his students prepare recipes.
"Pastry work is first a science and then it's an
art" says Welling
"We use formulas, specific ingredients, very specific amounts
and must adhere to special methods of preparation."
Finding a quality scale that was durable, accurate and fit the
specific needs of the pastry and bake shop was a difficult process
for Welling. But OHAUS developed the FD to fit every characteristic
the department required. Its functionality, heavy construction,
stainless steel housing and ability to measure large amounts of
ingredients to an extremely accurate readability were paramount to
the University's success in transitioning the labs to the new
equipment.
"Pastry work is first a science and then it's an art"
(Gary Welling)
Culinary institutions often require students to work in metric
and pound or ounce measurements. The FD Food Portioning Scale has
proven itself to be invaluable by allowing students to select from
several weighing units - including pounds, fractional ounces,
decimal ounces, combined pounds and ounces, grams or kilograms -
with the press of just one key. This is especially helpful when
switching from metric (g or kg) recipes to recipes in oz or lbs,
and avoids the need for extra scales. Also beneficial to culinary
instructors, the FD can be configured quickly using the menu system
to meet the instructor's classroom needs. The FD can be set into
the weighing units the instructor wants, and only those units, to
prevent errors.
Johnson & Wales also continued their relationship with OHAUS
and developed a student scale for sale at J&W's
bookstores.
"It is common for pastry students and alumni to have their own
scale," says Welling. "It's as important as a chef having their own
set of knives." The department head also worked with OHAUS to
develop a smaller, durable version of the university's lab scales -
the Valor 3000 Xtreme. The new scale also features a padded
carrying case for students to transport the equipment across
campus.
About the FD Food Portioning Scale
Overall, the OHAUS FD Food Scale is gaining popularity as the
benchmark scale for world-class pastry and dessert instruction. For
weighing-out dry ingredients, the FD's capacity range and precision
have made it a popular piece of equipment in instructional
kitchens.
The FD scale is specifically designed for use in food
preparation where cleanliness is a must. The OHAUS FD Food
Portioning Scale is available in capacities and readabilities of 6
lb x 0.001 lb (3kg x 0.5g), 15 lb x 0.002 lb (6kg x 1g) and 30 lb x
0.005 lb (15kg x 2g). All three models feature the same compact,
durable and stylish design. The FD provides fast and accurate
results within two seconds which is quickly readable using the
large, backlit LCD display. For added quality, the FD's weighing
mechanism meets the requirements of NTEP Class III per Handbook 44,
allowing use in legal-for-trade weighing.
To meet stringent cleanliness requirements in food preparation,
the FD features a stainless steel top and bottom housing as well as
a removable stainless steel pan. Listed/certified to NSF/ANSI 169
Special purpose food equipment and devices (formerly NSF C-2), the
FD is also USDA-AMS Accepted to NSF/3-A 14159-1-2002 (Hygiene
Requirements for the Design of Meat and Poultry Processing
Equipment) and meets requirements for HACCP conformity.
In most kitchens, electrical connections often are at a premium in
the classroom and smaller kitchenwares often have to move with the
student. Designed for maximum portability, the FD includes an
internal rechargeable battery which can run for more than 120 hours
before requiring a recharge. The FD can also be used throughout the
week on a single overnight recharge.